This invention relates generally to an apparatus for safely disinfecting and storing a used hypodermic syringe.
With the great concern nowadays about the transmission of various diseases such as AIDS, great care must be taken in the handling and disposal of hypodermic syringes. The concern about the spread of AIDS has manifested itself by the fact that during many routine and more serious medical procedures the attending medical staff wears rubber gloves, face masks and takes other steps to make sure that their chance of being infected with AIDS or some other infectious disease is minimized.
Of particular concern is the handling and disposal of used hypodermic syringes. Specifically, a great concern among medical personnel is the disposal of hypodermic syringes that have been used to inject a medicament into a patient. This concern reflects the obvious fact that if the patient has an easily transmitted disease, then the medical person may inflict the disease upon himself/herself if they are pricked with the needle.
Because of this concern, great care has been taken in the disposal of used hypodermic syringes. Special containers are provided so that a used hypodermic syringe can be separated and isolated and then disposed of in a safe and efficient manner. While this technique has generally been safe in preventing a medical person from accidentally being jabbed with a used hypodermic syringe, nevertheless the need for special containers for storing used hypodermic syringes and a need to specially dispose of these containers with other potentially dangerous contents has resulted in substantial expense.
It is also desirable that prior to injecting a patient with a medicament via a hypodermic syringe that the same be carried and transported in a safe manner which minimizes the chance of a person being accidentally jabbed with the needle.
U.S. Letters Pat. No. 1,115,561 to a Frederick Northey which issued on Nov. 3, 1914 discloses an antiseptic fluid which receives the tip of a syringe prior to injection of the medicament into a patient. While the structure of Northey provides a safe manner in which to maintain the medicament in an antiseptic container, it does not treat the concern of how to safely store the syringe after the medicament has been injected into a person.
U.S. Letters Pat. No. 2,117,469 issued on May 17, 1938 to a Rollin T. Woodyatt discloses a container for a hypodermic syringe with the tip of the hypodermic needle being stored in alcohol or some other sterilant. However, this patent does not disclose a technique to safely store a used hypodermic syringe to preclude accidental jabbing of a person and the potential spread of a dangerous disease.
U.S. Letters Pat. No. 2,888,924 to Dunmire which issued on June 2, 1959 discloses a container for a hypodermic syringe which contains a well filled with an antiseptic fluid. While this protects the sterility of the hypodermic syringe prior to injection, it does not make any provision for isolating a used hypodermic syringe to prevent accidentally jabbing a person with the attendant danger.
U.S. Letters Pat. No. 2,940,445 to John Q. Adams et al., which issued on June 14, 1960, discloses a sheath and method for manufacturing the same in conjunction with protecting the needle of a hypodermic syringe. However, this patent does not disclose a disinfectant nor make provisions for disinfecting a used needle to protect against accidental transmission of an infectious disease.
U.S. Letters Pat. No. 3,270,743 to a Pierre Gingras, which issued on September 6, 1966, discloses a hypodermic injection syringe and more particularly a protective assembly therefor which stores the needle and a cotton wad that has an antiseptic. There is no teaching, however, of safely storing a used hypodermic needle and disinfecting the same to protect against accidental transmission of a disease.
U.S. Letters Pat. No. 3,354,881 to Herman Bloch issued on Nov. 28, 1967 and discloses a hypodermic needle protector comprising a flexible walled tube which contains a disinfectant. However, no means are disclosed for protecting and disinfecting the needle after use nor for guiding the used needle into a disinfectant so as to minimize the chances of a person being accidentally pricked.
U.S. Letters Pat. No. 4,416,663 to Robert M. Hall issued on Nov. 22, 1983 and discloses a self-sterilizing hypodermic syringe. The needle is designed for repeated use and after each use the needle tip passes through a self-sealing capsule containing a sterilizing fluid.